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Tourists die when shark-diving boat capsizes

Two men from the United States and one from Norway died when the shark-diving boat they were in capsized near Kleinbaai on Sunday, the National Sea Rescue Institute said. A spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the boat capsized offshore of Kleinbaai near Gansbaai with an estimated 19 people on board.

Two men from the United States and one from Norway died when the shark-diving boat they were in capsized near Kleinbaai on Sunday, the National Sea Rescue Institute said.

Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said a 36-foot Great White Shark Projects boat capsized offshore of Kleinbaai near Gansbaai with an estimated 19 people on board.

“Seventeen people had been rescued out of the water by local private boats and five of the rescued had been taken for treatment. One was declared dead on the scene after extensive efforts by paramedics to resuscitate him were terminated,” he said.

Local boats brought in the remaining two male passengers who were both declared dead on arrival by paramedics, said Lambinon.

Mariette Hoply, chairperson of the Great White Shark Protection Foundation, said the shark-cage diving boat had anchored just before a freak wave capsized it at about 10am on Sunday.

The boat’s crew had not started cage-diving when the wave struck.
One of the people swept off the boat was caught underneath the boat and had to be retrieved by divers.

Ten people on board were clients of Great White Shark Projects. The other nine people were crew and staff members.—Sapa